KSU Jazz Ensembles

program Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 8:00 pm Dr. Bobbie Bailey & Family Performance Center, Morgan Hall Eleventh Concert of the 2015-16 Concert Season Kennesaw State University Jazz Ensembles Jazz Ensemble II, Wes Funderburk, director Wack Wack / BUDDY RICH May-hem / BILLY MAY Li'l Darlin / NEIL HEFTI La Fiesta / CHICK COREA / ARR. LOPEZ Jazz Ensemble I, Sam Skelton, director presents "The Jazz Soul of Porgy and Bess" All arrangements composed by GERSHWIN / HEYWARD All arrangements by BILL POTTS Summertime My Man’s Gone Now Strawberry Jam / It Ain’t Necessarily So I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’ I Loves You Porgy There’s A Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon For New York Oh Lawd, I’m On My Way program notes Jazz Pianist and Arranger ill Potts (April 3, 1928, Arlington, Virginia – February 15, 2005, Fort Lauderdale, Florida) was an American jazz pianist and arranger. Potts played Hawaiian guitar as a child and accordion in his teens. BHe picked up piano in high school after hearing Count Basie. While serving in the Army from 1949 to 1955 he transcribed charts for Army bands; he also arranged for Joe Timer and Willis Conover's ensemble, THE Orchestra. He wrote four of the songs on THE Orchestra's 1954 Brunswick Records LP, and recorded some of their live shows, which occasionally featured guest appearances from Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. By 1956 Potts was leading a house band at Olivia Davis' Patio Lounge in Washington, DC. Lester Young booked an engagement there, and Potts convinced Young to record with him on two of the evenings. These recordings were later released as the Lester Young in Washington, DC sessions. In 1957, Potts worked extensively as a composer, arranger, and performer for Freddy Merkle's Jazz Under the Dome album. Soon after this he was injured in a car crash and ended up in a body cast for several months. He had fully recovered by 1959, when he released a session under his own name entitled The Jazz Soul of Porgy and Bess. This album, consisting of jazz reinterpretations of many songs from George Gershwin's opera Porgy & Bess, featured Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Bob Brookmeyer and Phil Woods. Following this, Potts spent several years working in New York City before returning to the DC area, where he worked locally in addition to touring with Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz and Woody Herman. He taught music theory at Montgomery College from 1974 to 1990, and led a big band for occasional performances at Washington's Blues Alley nightclub. He retired to Fort Lauderdale in 1995, and died of cardiac arrest in 2005. jazz personnel JAZZ ENSEMBLE II TRUMPETS SAXES GUITARS Miles Bonaker Andrew Ereddiaj Robert Herrington Jonny Fallon Deonski Rogers Jonathan Flores Joshua Klann Molly Prince Simon Needle Muhsin Quarishi TROMBONES Nathan Hollis BASS Matt Lane Josh Inglis Francisco Lora Andrew Pendleton Sam Boeger DRUMS PIANO Dennis Durrett-Smith Sarah Chari Brooks Payne Tyler Neal JAZZ ENSEMBLE I SAXOPHONES TROMBONES Bass: Brandon Boone Devin Okey Michael DeSousa Drums: Janna Graham, Brandon Radaker George Blevins Jonathan Morningstar, Micheal Opitz Travis Longenberger Jonathan Pace Damontae Scott Devin Witt Nic Chambers RHYTHM SECTION TRUMPETS Piano: Brian Reid, Brandon Austin Zach Wilson Stacy Novik Guitar: Patrick Arthur, Ben Schiele Christian Artieda, Jesse Baker Caleb Tokarska biographies Jazz Ensembles and Jazz Arranging es Funderburk has performed across the United States and Eu- Wrope and is currently one of the most sought after trombonists and arrangers in Atlanta and the Southeast. He is the author of Funderbone.net and the inventor of Blog Songs! - his award-winning music blog and podcast. Wes has written, performed, recorded with a wide array of national and internationally-renowned artists including Jennifer Holliday, Band of Horses, Spoon, Jermaine Dupri, Cee Lo, The Boston Brass, Natalie Cole, Dallas Austin, SoS- hy, Kelis, India Arie, Slide Hamp- ton, Joe Gransden, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra. He has also been a featured performer at The Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Atlanta Jazz Festival, Atlanta Black Arts Festival, Candler Park Fes- tival, Inman Park Festival, Montreux-Atlanta Jazz Festival, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival and North Sea Jazz Festival. Wes' recording credits include So So Def Records, Atlantic Records, Verve Records, Colombia Records, Universal Records, Arista Records, Giant Step Records, the Cartoon Network and the Weather Channel. His arranging credits include music for Russell Gunn's Krunk Jazz Orchestra, Jennifer Holliday, Ben van Dijk, Natalie Cole, Joe Gransden Big Band, The Georgia Brass Band, The Atlanta Jazz Orchestra, Kennesaw State University Jazz Ensemble, Georgia State University Jazz Ensemble and brass band, the Piedmont Trombone Society and the Tempest Little Big Band. Wes is also the leader and co- founder of "The Funderhorns" - a freelance commercial horn section that has recorded in some of the finest recording studios in the country. As an educator, Wes has given clinics and master classes at University of Georgia, Francis Marion University, The University of North Florida, Georgia State University, Columbus State University (GA), the Mars Hill Low Brass Re- treat, Tanglewood Music Camp and numerous high schools across the South- east. He maintains an active private studio for students of all ages and is currently the low brass instructor at the Atlanta International School. In 2007, Wes joined the faculty at Kennesaw State University as a jazz band director and in 2010, joined the faculty at Georgia State University as visiting lecturer in jazz studies. Wes earned his Bachelor's Degree in trombone performance from the University of North Florida and his Masters' Degree in trombone performance with a concentration in jazz studies from Georgia State University. Wes is a governor for the Atlanta chapter of the Recording Academy and a clinician and performing artist for Rath trombones and Facet Mutes. Director of Jazz Studies and Senior Lecturer in Saxophone am Skelton, a native of Conyers, Georgia, has been active on the Atlanta Smusic scene for well over two de- cades. Skelton graduated summa cum laude from Georgia State University and the private studio of Tony Carere with a degree in Jazz Studies. During his course of study at GSU, Skelton was a Montgomery Music Scholar and a two-time fellowship recipient to the Aspen Music Fes- tival. He continued his saxophone studies with Kenneth Radnofsky at Boston University in 1991. As a woodwind doubler, Skelton is well versed in any genre of music. His grasp of saxophone, clarinet and flute has enabled him to remain very busy in live performance as well as in the studio. Skelton has performed and/or soloed with The London Symphony Orchestra, The Atlanta Symphony, The Atlanta Pops, The Peachtree Pops, The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and The Cobb Symphony Orchestra as well as numerous local high school and civic ensembles. World Premiers include James Olive- rio’s Children of A Common Mother, Lee Johnson’s Ora Pro Mi: Concerto for Winds Soloist (clarinet, flute and soprano saxophone) andSeaside Symphony (clarinet and soprano saxophone soloist). Skelton also played the premier recording of Ora Pro Mi and Seaside Symphony with the London Symphony Orchestra. As a sideman on over 175 compact discs, Skelton remains very active in the studio and can be heard on recordings by such artists as: Elton John, Decem- ber Radio, Babbie Mason, Howard Tate, Matchbox 20, Train, Edwin McCain, The Gap Band and The Ohio Players. Television and radio jingles include The Georgia Lottery, Glen Beck, The Weather Channel, The Travel Channel, Ford, The Cartoon Network, CNN, Nature’s Own, Popeye’s, Papa John’s and Turner South. Television appearances include In the Heat of the Night, Savannah and Sinbad’s Summer Jam II on HBO. Skelton is currently Director of Jazz Studies and Lecturer in Saxophone at Kennesaw State University. He is also Artistic Director of CSO Jazz and GYSO Jazz. Skelton served as Professor of Saxophone at Georgia State University from 1991 to 2004 and was Jazz Ensemble Director at Georgia Tech from 2002-2004 and Artist-in-Residence at The University of Georgia Jazz Department. He served as Visiting Professor of Saxophone at Furman University 2001-02. Professional associations include: Georgia Music Educa- tors Association, Georgia Association of Jazz Educators, National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (voting member) and the American Federation of Musicians. Skelton is a Conn-Selmer Artist. School of Music Faculty and Staff Director Voice Stephen W. Plate Jessica Jones Eileen Moremen Music Education Oral Moses Judith Beale Leah Partridge Janet Boner Valerie Walters Kathleen Creasy Todd Wedge John Culvahouse Jana Young Charles Jackson Charles Laux Piano Alison Mann Judith Cole, Collaborative Piano & Musical Angela McKee Theatre Richard McKee Julie Coucheron Cory Meals Robert Henry Harry Price John Marsh, Class Piano Terri Talley David Watkins Amber Weldon-Stephens Soohyun Yun Music History & Appreciation Jazz Drew Dolan Justin Chesarek, Jazz Percussion Edward Eanes Wes Funderburk, Jazz Trombone, Jazz Heather Hart Ensembles Kayleen Justus Tyrone Jackson, Jazz Piano Marc Miller, Jazz Bass Music Theory, Composition Sam Skelton, Jazz Ensembles & Technology Lester Walker, Jazz Trumpet Judith Cole Trey Wright, Jazz Guitar, Jazz Combos Kelly Francis Jennifer Mitchell Ensembles & Conductors Laurence Sherr Leslie J. Blackwell, Choral Activities Benjamin Wadsworth Alison Mann, Choral Activities

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